Volvo to sell vehicles with built-in LiDAR

Volvo is setting new safety and technology standards by partnering with tech firm Luminar to provide its industry-leading LiDAR and perception technology into Volvo’s next generation cars.

Volvo Cars’ next generation Scalable Product Architecture (SPA 2) modular vehicle architecture will be available as hardware-ready for autonomous drive in 2022, with the Luminar LiDAR seamlessly integrated into the roof of the vehicles.

According to Henrik Green, chief technology officer at Volvo Cars, “Autonomous drive has the potential to be one of the most lifesaving technologies in history, if introduced responsibly and safely.”

Customers will have the option to opt into Highway Pilot Feature once it has been verified to be safe for specific geographic locations and conditions. This will allow the driver to enable a ‘fully autonomous highway driving’ feature on verified roads.

Luminar’s perception technology will use a combination of cameras, radars and back-up systems for steering, braking and battery power to keep the vehicle safely on the road.

Luminar’s technology is based on its high performance LiDAR sensors, which emit millions of pulses of laser light to accurately detect where objects are by scanning the environment in 3D, creating a temporary, real-time map without requiring internet connectivity.

“Soon, your Volvo will be able to drive autonomously on highways when the car determines it is safe to do so,” said Henrik Green. “At that point, your Volvo takes responsibility for the driving and you can relax, take your eyes off the road and your hands off the wheel. Over time, updates over the air will expand the areas in which the car can drive itself. For us, a safe introduction of autonomy is a gradual introduction.”